Debates of April 14th, 2010

Competition Bureau

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, our government has always been supportive of the Canadian consumer, and although of course I cannot speak specifically to the issue the member is referring to, I look forward to this possibility. This is a great example of a positive change that will benefit Canadians where it matters most. There are those in the opposition who want to talk about raising taxes, but our government believes in instituting measures that will positively affect Canadian consumers.

Oral Questions

[Michael Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order on something that was raised in question period.

A few minutes ago the member for Burlington, in his fiction about the Leader of the Opposition calling for more taxes, invoked my name, the member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, suggesting that I had suggested we should have higher taxes. I am not suggesting that we should have an incredibly high standard such as truth from the government side. I never did that.

I did an interview where the Tory war room put out a quote suggesting a whole bunch of things that journalists have pointed out were totally inaccurate and untrue. I never said that. I do not expect an apology from that side because I do not know if it is capable of it, but I would ask the member for Burlington to check those little notes that he got from the apparatchiks in the back room and see if it is true before he stands up and besmirches himself.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I am sure the hon. member for Burlington will be paying close attention to the hon. member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), it is my pleasure to table, in both official languages, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service public report for 2008-09.

Government Response to Petitions

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 19 petitions.

Public Safety and National Security

[Garry Breitkreuz, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present today the first report of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in relation to a motion adopted on Thursday, April 1, 2010, on prison farm closures and food provisionment.

Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in relation to a question of privilege resulting from the actions of the member for Parkdale—High Park.

Public Accounts

[Shawn Murphy, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present in the House, in both official languages, the following reports of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts: the fourth report on Chapter 1, Gender-Based Analysis, of the Spring 2009 Report of the Auditor General of Canada; the fifth report of the committee on Chapter 1, Safeguarding Government Information and Assets in Contracting, of the October 2007 Report of the Auditor General of Canada; the sixth report of the committee on Chapter 3, Human Resources Management--Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, of the May 2007 Report of the Auditor General of Canada; and, finally, the seventh report of the committee on Chapter 4, Interest on Advance Deposits from Corporate Taxpayers--Canada Revenue Agency, of the Spring 2009 Report of the Auditor General of Canada.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109 of the House of Commons, the committee requests the government table a comprehensive response to these four reports.

National Appreciation Day Act

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-505, An Act respecting a National Appreciation Day.

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured today to stand in the House of Commons to reintroduce my private member's bill, an act representing and respecting a national appreciation day.

This enactment designates the third day of March in each and every year as a day for the people of Canada to express appreciation for the heroic work of members of the Canadian Forces and emergency response professionals, including police officers, firefighters and paramedics.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Canada Elections Act

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-506, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (telephone, fax and Internet service to campaign offices).

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to stand in the House of Parliament today to reintroduce my private member's bill, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act.

The purpose of this enactment is to ensure that telephone, fax or Internet service is provided in a timely manner to the campaign offices of candidates in federal elections.

There are many occasions during an election when members of all parties occasionally are not able to access these services in a fair and equitable manner. This would provide equality across the country.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Federal Spending Power Act

[Josée Beaudin, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-507, An Act to amend the Financial Administration Act (federal spending power).

Mr. Speaker, I have the immense pleasure today of presenting my very first bill, which deals with the federal spending power. For decades, all Quebec governments have demanded that encroachment cease in matters that should concern Quebec and Quebec only. That is the purpose of this bill.

It would explicitly abolish the power that the federal government has given itself to introduce an automatic and unconditional right to opt out with full financial compensation and would establish permanent compensation in the form of the transfer of tax room. In order for the recognition of the Quebec nation to be more than just an empty gesture, the federal government must stop imposing programs on Quebec that belong under Quebec jurisdiction and must collaborate in good faith to transfer to Quebec the means and resources it needs to makes its own social, economic and cultural decisions.

The time has come to put words into action and not to limit the federal spending power but to eliminate it completely.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Canadian Human Rights Act

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-508, An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (genetic characteristics).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to introduce this bill to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act in order to protect Canadians from discrimination on the basis of their genetic characteristics.

I want to thank my colleague, the member for Hamilton Mountain, for her support with this bill, and I want to urge all members to consider passing it as quickly as possible.

It addresses the fact that genetic discrimination is already targeting and penalizing some persons, and is increasing as genetic testing proliferates. The bill is consistent with the Canadian Human Rights Act principles and is a statement about our acceptance of personal differences and about the integrity of the person whose most basic traits and genetic makeup must not be the basis for discriminatory treatment.

I o thank those who helped make this bill possible, starting with Jo Anne Watton, who is with the Huntington Society of Canada; Vern Barrett, the Huntington Society in Winnipeg; Howard Koks, the Parkinson Society in Manitoba; and all members of the Canadian Coalition for Genetic Fairness.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Canada Post Corporation Act

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-509, An Act to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act (library materials).

Mr. Speaker, this bill is a reincarnate of Bill C-458 and Bill C-322. Due to some technical changes we had to make, we needed to reintroduce, but I assure the thousands of Canadians who have signed petitions that the bill remains intact.

The amendment would do two things. It would preserve a reduced rate for postage on books between libraries in Canada and would expand the library book rate program to include magazines, records, CDs, CD-ROMS, audio cassettes, video cassettes, DVDs and other audio-visual materials.

This is something that Canadian libraries and, indeed, all Canadians have been asking for since 1967.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

An Act to Prevent Coercion of Pregnant Women to Abort (Roxanne's Law)

[Rod Bruinooge, Conservative, Winnipeg South, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-510, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (coercion).

Mr. Speaker, it is a great honour to introduce this private member's bill. This bill would be known as Roxanne's law and it is based on the untimely death of Roxanne Fernando.

Roxanne Fernando was coerced into having an abortion but she did not go through with it. In the end, her boyfriend decided to kill her for not going through with it.

This bill would protect vulnerable pregnant women. I hope everyone in the House can support it.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Proactive Enforcement and Defect Accountability Legislation (PEDAL) Act

[Joe Volpe, Liberal, Eglinton—Lawrence, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-511, An Act respecting the reporting of motor vehicle information and to amend the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (improving public safety).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill that would strengthen the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. This bill comes in direct response to the legislative shortcomings resulting in the consequences from the Toyota recalls.

The bill, called the proactive enforcement and defect accountability legislation, PEDAL act, would mandate four major changes to the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. First, to clarify definition of safety-related defect; second, to provide new powers to the minister to initiate a recall of vehicles and equipment if the minister makes a preliminary determination that a vehicle or equipment contains safety-related defects; third, to initiate an early warning detection system that requires manufacturers to provide the minister with quarterly reports containing domestic and foreign data related to potential safety-related defects; and fourth, compel the installation of brake override systems on vehicles that use electronic throttle controls.

Canadian drivers are depending on us to ensure that their government has the tools and legislative authority needed to protect them.

As public safety is a non-partisan issue, I look forward to working with all members of the House from all parties on getting this bill passed, along with my colleague who was so good to second my bill, the member for Cardigan.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Andrew Kania, Liberal, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, consultations have taken place between all parties and I ask for unanimous consent that the first report of the Standing Joint Committee on the Scrutiny of Regulations be concurred in.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Does the hon. member for Brampton West have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I wonder if we could revert to reports from interparliamentary delegations.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Is there unanimous consent to revert to reports from interparliamentary delegations?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association respecting its participation to the Economic Affairs and Development Committee of PACE and the First Part of the 2010 Ordinary Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe held in London, United Kingdom and Strasbourg, France from January 21 to 29, 2010.

Assisted Suicide

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have several petitions to present today.

The first petition is in regard to Bill C-384, which is referred to as the assisted suicide and euthanasia bill. I continue to receive many petitions in the mail on this issue.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to vote against Bill C-384.

Animal Welfare

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition, signed by many people, asks that the Government of Canada support a universal declaration on animal welfare.

Canada Post

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition, which has been signed by many Canadians, states that whereas the federal government is allowing Canada Post to close public post offices in spite of a moratorium on closures in rural and small towns, the petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to instruct Canada Post to maintain and improve its network of public post offices.